Various technologies have been proposed for inspecting machines and/or detecting and reporting incidences of damage to machine parts.
Japan Patent Application No. 07257561 (Fumiaki et al) describes a method for detecting a wrong or missing engine part which involves capturing images using a CCD camera and comparing detection data with reference data based upon the brightness distribution within regions of the captured images.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,554 (Perkins, III et al) describes a system for inspecting engine head valve spring assemblies for missing retainer keys which comprises a solid state camera for taking pictures of a valve spring assembly and providing picture data, a position encoder which relates the position of the engine head to the camera, and a computer which analyzes the picture data to determine the center of a digitized image of a valve spring assembly and an intensity profile of the expected location of the retainer keys relative to the center of the valve spring assembly, which intensity profile is used to determine whether a retainer key is missing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,031 (Launder et al) describes an apparatus for providing a signal indicative of loss or imminent loss of digging hardware. The apparatus includes an actuatable indicator and an actuator. In the preferred embodiments the actuator is comprised of a lanyard which is secured between an adaptor and a digging tooth. If the digging tooth breaks off or becomes dislodged from the adaptor, the lanyard senses the change in predetermined relationship between the adaptor and the digging tooth and actuates the actuatable indicator. In the preferred embodiments the actuatable indicator is comprised of a smoke canister.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,709 (Choi) describes a method and system for estimating turbine bucket oxidation condition. The method includes measuring with an infrared camera a temperature distribution on a surface of a rotating turbine bucket, determining a condition index based upon the temperature distribution, and estimating the turbine bucket oxidation condition based on the condition index. The system includes the infrared camera, a triggering mechanism coupled with the infrared camera for triggering the camera at predetermined intervals based upon the rotating speed of the turbine, and a processor for receiving the output from the infrared camera and for determining the condition index.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,485 (Lujan et al) describes a method and apparatus for detecting and reporting dislocation of heavy metal parts on mining equipment. The apparatus includes a spring loaded switch sandwiched between heavy metal parts, which upon partial separation of the parts expands and turns on an electrical switch to activate a radio transmitter, sending an alarm signal to a receiver at a remote location.
United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0081410 A1 (Furem et al) describes a system and method for distributed reporting of machine performance. The system is comprised of a machine data management system which permits information relating to a machine to be gathered and analyzed while the machine is operating.
Another technology proposed by the University of Alberta (Xiujuan Luo) uses laser range data for detecting missing shovel teeth. The technology involves creating a CAD model of an intact tooth, using a laser range finder to scan the tooth line of a shovel, and comparing the laser scan with the CAD model to detect missing teeth.
Finally, Motion Metrics International Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia offers a broken tooth detection system for mining shovels and loaders under the trade-mark ToothMetrics™.